Delap Makes Comeback as The Blues Look to Address Forward Concerns
Attacker Liam Delap is recovering from a thigh problem at a crucial moment for Chelsea.
The West London club suffered a 2-1 defeat against unexpected challengers Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, with head coach Enzo Maresca blaming "insufficient imagination" and his side's crossing being "below standard".
Chelsea's attackers are having difficulty finding the net and goal contributions as Delap makes his comeback in the League Cup against bottom-half Wolves on this week (prime time), having sat out 10 fixtures since picking up the problem in the 2-0 win over Fulham in the summer.
Maresca stated the young striker will be gradually introduced "carefully", and the recent acquisition's availability is crucial for a side facing questions over their mixed results, which has left the national tournaments their best opportunity of securing honors this campaign.
Delap to Ease Burden On Joao Pedro
Chelsea signed Delap from Ipswich Town for £30m despite attention from Old Trafford club, the Magpies and Goodison Park team.
Yet the Three Lions prospect was behind £55m signing Joao Pedro in the team ranking at this summer's Club World Cup - and with good reason.
Joao Pedro scored three goals in three outings as Chelsea secured the maiden title in the United States. The Brazilian forward added two more goals and three goal contributions in his opening quartet of league fixtures after arriving from Brighton.
More of late, however, Joao Pedro has failed to score in his past seven matches. Maresca stated he is one of a trio of players - along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "protected".
When queried about Joao Pedro's decline in performance, Maresca remarked: "Definitely the fitness aspect is important. When you are not at peak condition it's challenging to excel, notably in this league."
"Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to reach twenty strikes annually. Joao's a superb talent, he's going to find the net and give assists but he's a different kind of nine to players who get 20 to 25 goals annually like the Bayern legend, [Kylian] Mbappe or [Erling] Haaland."
Wider Problems in Chelsea's Attack
Chelsea face wider issues beyond their forwards and Joao Pedro's goalless run.
Winger Cole Palmer has played two full matches all campaign and is not anticipated to feature from a lower body issue until the winter.
Winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has no goals and a single assist in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m acquisition from Manchester United, has one goal in seven outings and induced an opposition error against Benfica.
Estevao Willian, 18, has impressed since moving from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has just two strikes and one setup - equaling homegrown talent Tyrique George.
Forward Marc Guiu and Seagulls temporary signing Facundo Buonanotte have one score each.
Marc Cucurella, who got seven from left-back last season, is still to score this season. Winger Pedro Neto has one score and two assists in his last two games, but earlier scored only once in the opening ten matches.
After thirteen games in all competitions no forward has over two strikes, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's equal leading marksmen with four goals.
Asked whether a lack of natural goalscorers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca commented: "Certainly, yes. We said many times that the front five at the offense, we need numerous strikes from each, in the manner we achieved last season."
Maresca has discovered methods to compete despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are second for dead-ball situations in the top flight, one less than Arsenal. In addition, the Stamford Bridge side are the initial club to have ten distinct net-finders in the first division this season.
Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End?
Some Chelsea followers think the striker's jersey - assigned to Delap in the off-season - is hexed. It had been vacant since 2023, and players who donned it since the mid-2000s have struggled for goals, including:
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - a trio of scores in twenty-one matches
- Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 goals in 58 appearances
- Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - thirty strikes in 82 appearances
- Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five scores in 19 games
- Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 scores in seventy-two matches
- Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - a single strike in 12 games
- Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 scores in one hundred seventy-two matches
- Franco di Santo (2008-10) - failed to score in 16 games
- Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one score in 25 games
- Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - zero strikes in 20 appearances
A midfielder and defensive specialist are included in this group, and some would argue Abraham broke the curse with his performance, while iconic forwards such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink excelled with nine on their back.
But Delap was unfazed when queried about the hoodoo. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he said at the international tournament.
"In the final analysis it's a digit on the shirt of your uniform. It's just a figure that has historically been connected to attackers so it's something that I appreciate and there's no added burden."
